The architect is David Adjaye. For him, this is the first museum and the first large building in the United States (before that he designed only a studio in Brooklyn), but the lack of practical experience did not become an obstacle to creating a wonderful building.
Ajaye admits that he has been in the circle of artists for so long that he perfectly understands all the requirements for a museum building. Apparently, this is why his building in Denver turned out to be directed inward, very restrained from the outside and original and rich in unexpected interior solutions.
A rectangular block of gray glass is located in a former industrial area, on the site of the railroad tracks. It is now an area of high-end housing, shops and parks; This location should increase the popularity of MCA - since its founding 11 years ago, it has been located in a former fish market, on the outskirts of the city, and, despite the high quality of the exhibitions held (the museum does not have a permanent exhibition), the number of visitors left much to be desired. The outer wall layer of glass panels is complemented by a MonoPan “lining” made of interwoven fibers from recycled plastic. Such a solution will provide thermal insulation for the building, as well as protect works of art from excessively bright sunlight. Evaporative cooling system and radiant floor heating are also green elements of the project. Visitors who come to the museum by public transport or by bicycle will be able to buy a ticket at a reduced price. The building is expected to receive a LEED gold certification.
There is no real front door in the museum; visitors pass through the opening in the wall, going up the ramp directly to the center of the building. According to Ajaye, a ceremonially decorated entrance to a building can scare away those who rarely go to museums.
To save space, the architect replaced the atrium with a narrow "intersection" of two corridors three stories high and illuminated through glazed sections of the roof. Photo galleries of the first floor and stairs to the video art hall in the basement level and in the galleries of the upper levels go there. There are six halls in the museum, each of which is designed for a separate exhibition and is isolated from the neighboring rooms. They are separated from each other by narrow corridors, designed, like the entire interior of the building, in light colors. The rooftop houses a small cafe and education center, with African tiger wood flooring and curb. Between them is a small garden designed by landscape architect Karla Daikin.
The new building of the Denver Museum of Modern Art is also interesting because it is a rare example of budget savings: David Adjaye spent $ 2 million less than planned (the total cost of construction was $ 15.9 million).
Next to the museum, the architect built a steel-clad apartment building for developer Mark Folken, MCA board member, who donated a piece of land to the institution for the new building. Ajaye calls this house a "contrasting object" in relation to the museum. The alley between them has been converted into a small public space, although technically it is a passage for fire trucks.
